JAKARTA. The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle ( PDI-P ) is ready to nominate Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama for reelection if he admits that running as an independent candidate is a mistake, PDI-P deputy chairman Andreas Hugo Pareira said on Saturday (4/6).

“If Ahok is aware that he is making a mistake, the PDI-P will open the door for him. The PDI-P never closes the door on any figure, either its own members or outsiders,” Andreas said as reported by kompas.com.

He stressed that Ahok could still be paired with his current deputy governor, Djarot Saiful Hidayat.

By declaring himself as an independent candidate in March, it was Ahok who left the PDI-P and Djarot, who had been prepared to pair with him, therefore it is wrong if the “PDI-P is said to be leaving Ahok. “It is Pak Ahok, who left PDI-P and Djarot,” Andreas repeated.

Ahok on Friday, however, reaffirmed that he would run as an independent candidate, although the PDI-I had already hinted that it might support him in the 2017 gubernatorial election.

Ahok said he appreciated the efforts of Teman Ahok ( Friends of Ahok ), whose volunteers had worked hard to collect photocopies of identity cards of Jakartans required by law for individuals wanting to run as independents. “If they [Teman Ahok] manage to collect 1 million photocopies, I will directly go to Teman Ahok and thank them personally for their efforts,” said Ahok as reported by kompas.com. ( bbn )    

Editor: Sanny Cicilia